Planning a garden

Designing a family friendly garden that works for kids AND adults? BBC Garden Rescue designer Lee Burkhill shares expert zoning tips, DIY play features, safe plant choices and before-and-after examples. Free guide.

Quick Answer Garden Rescue is filmed over two days per garden: day one for groundworks and structures, day two when presenters arrive and planting is completed. Gardens are filmed a full year before broadcast. Contributors pay for all materials and plants (minimum £3,000 budget) while design fees and labour are covered by the production. The […]

Japanese garden design is one of the most studied, imitated, and misunderstood garden styles in the world. I have been fascinated by it for years, both as a garden designer and as someone who has travelled to Japan specifically to walk through the gardens that inspired the whole tradition. Quick Answer A successful Japanese garden […]

Struggling with bare soil under trees or in deep shade? Lee Burkhill shares 16 expert ground cover plants for shade that really work in UK gardens.

Wondering which trees are safe near a garden fence? Discover 12 expert-recommended boundary trees for UK gardens, the legal rules you need to know, and which species to avoid at all costs.

Quick Answer Chalk soil is an alkaline, free-draining soil type found across the South Downs, Chiltern Hills, and limestone-rich areas of Yorkshire and beyond. While it can be tricky to garden on, the right plant selection transforms a chalk garden into something spectacular. Lavender, Buddleja, Achillea, Clematis, Salvia, Eryngium, and Beech all thrive in these […]

Quick Answer The best drought-tolerant plants for UK gardens are Mediterranean species such as lavender, rosemary, and sage alongside tough perennials like achillea, eryngium, and salvia. Once established, these plants need little or no supplementary watering and will thrive through hosepipe bans and long dry spells. Choose plants with silver or grey foliage, waxy leaves, […]

Quick Answer Gardening is one of the most evidence-backed forms of therapy available to anyone with access to outdoor space. Studies consistently show that regular gardening reduces cortisol (the stress hormone), improves mood, lowers anxiety, and builds a measurable sense of purpose. You do not need expertise, a large garden, or expensive tools to benefit. […]

Quick Answer To build your own fire pit, dig a circle in the lawn or lift paving, lay a fireproof gravel base over weed membrane, arrange reclaimed stone or bricks around a steel fire bowl, and dress with decorative gravel. The whole project takes a day, costs as little as £30 using salvaged materials, and […]

Quick Answer The best orange flowers for UK gardens include Crocosmia ‘Emberglow’, Helenium ‘Moerheim Beauty’, Geum ‘Totally Tangerine’, and Kniphofia for summer and autumn impact, with Tulipa ‘Princess Irene’ and Wallflowers delivering spring colour. Choose from trees, shrubs, climbers, perennials, annuals, and bulbs to achieve orange flowers from March right through to October. Orange spans […]